Conestoga senior attackman Jeff Chu has committed to play lacrosse at the University of Michigan, the two-time defending Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division I national champion.

Chu helped the Pioneers win the first District 1 championship and reach the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association finals last year when the team went 24-2.

Michigan went 20-0 last year in repeating as MCLA champion. The MCLA is national organization of about 200 non-varsity programs throughout the United States and Canada.

Chu plans to major in Biomedical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering and noted that he chose Michigan because it has one of the top engineering programs in the country. Also, he said that his father and uncle attended Michigan and than his grandfather was a professor of Human Genetics at Ann Arbor.

“I was looking at Michigan because it has one of the top five engineering programs in the country,” said Chu. “Plus, my dad and uncle went there. And my grandfather still lives in Ann Arbor.

“I got to visit in the summer and I just fell in love with it.”

Chu said the fact Michigan also has a top-notch program – which many believe one day soon will move to the Division I ranks – was a huge bonus.

“I met with coach (John) Paul and he showed me the program,” said Chu, who plays for the Mesa Fresh 2010 club team. “I kept forgetting it was a club team; it is run like a professional team. What a great fit for me.”

Chu is equally excited about the coming season for the Pioneers, who most believe will enter the year as a favorite to win the state title. Conestoga returns many key members of a squad that went undefeated in the Central League and dropped a 7-3 decision to La Salle in the state finals.

“Last year we had a great run and we have a huge amount of guys coming back,” Chu said. “I am really pumped and I think we have that team chemistry because we have been together for so long.”